Improvement in locks for umbrellas



S. WALES.

Locks for Umbrellas, &c.

No. 133,392. Patented N0v.'26,1872.

l d A \V M limlllllllllllllttllllllll j 1 1m mm v 4M. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHIC CQMKMSELENE S PROCESS.)

UNITED S rn'rns PATENT OFFIGE.

SIGOURNEY WALES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR UM-BRE LLAS, &c.

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 33,892, dated November 26, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGOURNEY WALES, of

the city, county, and State of New York, have key-hole. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the key.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new device for locking the wire springs which support the sliding tubes or sleeves, on which umbrellasticks are held in position, referring more particularly to the lower spring by which the umbrella is held closed. The invention consists in the combination, with the said wire spring, which is of ordinary construction, of a sliding slotted tube within the umbrella-stick, and of a spring connected with said tube, and of a key for setting said tube in the desired manner.

A in the drawing represents a portion of the umbrella-stick. B is the sliding sleeve thereon, connecting with the ribs or braces in the usual or in a suitable manner. 0 is the wirespring by which the sleeve is held locked in the lower position when the umbrella is closed. This spring is fastened to the stick in the customary way, and locks the sleeve by passing'through a slot therein, as in all umbrellas now in use. The free or playing end of the spring (3 rests on a tube, D, that is inserted within the tubular umbrella-stick, and is, by a spring, a, held in the position shown in Fig. 2. The tube D has a slot, 1), into which the free end of the spring 0 can drop, as in Fig. 1. E is a key, which can be inserted in the tubular umbrella-stick through a slot or key-hole, d, in said stick. When the key is inserted and pushed toward the tube D, causing the spring a to contract or'be compressed, the slot b is brought under the end of O, as in Fig. 1, which is consequently allowed to descend into D. In the latter position the umbrella is free to be opened or closed, as the spring 0 can play up and down while the end is in D. A slight expansion of the spring a will, after the end of G has entered the tube D, move thelatter slightly toward the keyhole, and thereby confine the hook that is on the free end of spring 0 within D. The spring 0 is then allowed to play up and down to open and shut the umbrella. When, after the umbrella has been closed, the key is once more applied to the umbrella-stick to push the slotted part of the tube in line'with the end of O, the latter, springing out of the tube, which is subsequently moved by the spring a, is once morelocked,and the umbrella cannot be opened unless the key is again applied.

Fig. 4 shows the same inventionapplied to lock the double cylinder F, by which the rods of an ordinary paper-file are locked together.

In fact, the invention is applicable to look similar devices, and I do not confine myself to its use to umbrellas or paper-files only.

The key which I proposeto use in this ap' paratus is by preference made of flat metal, and provided with a ifiig, e, at its outer or handle end, so it may be attached to a bunch of keys and used as occasion may require.

The ward which contains the key-hole (1 may have a groove or grooves, f, at the side or sides, and the key a corresponding projection or projections, g, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. The grooves may as well be in the key and the projections in the key-hole. By this means everyumbrella or other device having my invention can be opened only by its particular key and by no other. v

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The longitudinal sliding tube, combined as described with the concealed spring, for the purpose specified.

'2. The key-hole ward d, made with the grooves or projections f, in combination with the key E, which has the corresponding projections or grooves, as specified.

SIGOURNEY WALES.

Witnesses:

O. SEDGWIOK, T. B. Mosnna. 

